UPDATED - VIDEO: Free At Last, Canadian Grizzly Cub Tracking Begins

After two months of good and steady information, the satellite tracking info started showing that Jason suddenly separated from Drew. As there was some movement coming from Jason’s collar, we considered an actual separation but then lost contact for a couple days. When contact came back, the data coming in from Jason was in the same 30 meter area with very slight movements: something was very wrong.

The movement could be contributed to different satellites picking up the data or to scavengers moving stuff around. Fearing the worst, Angelika and Peter from our partners at the Northern Lights Wildlife Society (NLWS) rushed to Bella Coola and hired a helicopter to fly over the signaling collar. With great relief, the team saw no signs of a dead bear! But retrieving the collar would be a challenge because it dropped off in the worst possible place. It looked like Jason got his collar off on the top of a mountain and it rolled into a very steep area – so steep that only a professional climber with ropes and climbing equipment would be needed to retrieve it.

On September 2nd, we received more “Oh, no!” news. It looked like Drew dropped his collar too. The only up-side was that this time it looked like his collar was in a much more accessible area.

There are several reasonable explanations for why the collars may have come off. A likely one is that when placing the collars, enough space was given to allow for bear growth and the fact that the bears might have now lost some weight with the increase of exercise sustained during long hours spent foraging for food, could have resulted in a collar loose enough to come off. Unfortunately, unless we get them back, we just won’t know.

Organizing an expedition to retrieve the lost collars has proven to be extremely difficult. A volunteer has offered his climbing and telemetry knowledge, but scheduling between his work, Angelika and Peter’s commitments, the helicopter schedule and the disintegrating weather is proving to be an ongoing challenge.

The good news is that Lori and Dean are sending strong and steady signals! Dean is at the river fishing and Lori is pretty much hanging out in one general area. We suspect that Lori is staying away from the rivers because that is where all the big males try to catch fish. It’s a prime feeding area and subdominant bears will avoid areas with lots of bears, particularly big males.Working with the British Columbia government, we’ll be getting information on food availability in the areas that the bears have frequented. I’ll keep everyone posted.

Gail A'Brunzo

IFAW Emergency Relief Officer

Grizzly Bear Release Update

22 July, 2011

The release of the four bears went without a hitch. Lori and Dean went first and in fact it was quite dramatic to see the bears in nets being lifted by helicopter. The pilot lowered them down without even a bump. Then it was Drew and Jason’s turn and they were released in a slightly different place in Bella Coola.

The satellite collars are working well and the bears’ movements are checked daily.

Jason and Drew started out traveling together continue to stick close to each other. Lori and Dean separated immediately and went their separate ways.

All the bears seem to doing well and have moved from the valleys to areas around 1200 meters above sea level close to the snowline, although Jason and Drew have begun to come down the other side of the mountain they went over.

They are spending time in specific areas before moving on to the next – normal grizzly bear behavior which is what we like to see!

UPDATE: 19 July:

Dean made a drastic change in his travel pattern and swam the lake and is now near a large mountain at 1400 meters.

He traveled pretty rapidly out of his area, so I guess he encountered some trouble. Maybe it was a territory dispute?

"They are huge!" exclaimed our bear expert Dr. John Beecham. John has seen his share of bears in the past 35 years. He has traveled to all corners of the world to work in bear-human conflict issues and bear rehabilitation projects.

One look was all he needed to know that the bears looked great. "Yes they are big, not fat, just very big, about two or three times as much as their wild counterparts, but that's not a bad thing" he said.

Then he explained in detail how bears grow faster when they have a constant food supply while under captivity but once they are released those extra reserves will give them a head start as they learn how to be wild again.

There will be less pressure to get in optimal shape ahead of months of hibernation and, gradually after two or three years, they will likely be even in size and weight to wild grizzlies.

The move was full of challenges, we had unpredictable weather, a 16-hour transport by land and a final air journey to the release site - all along having the responsibility of four very stressed-out 300+lb bears.

Not surprisingly, the highlight of the operation was the last push to freedom, a dramatic airlift and release of the bears back to the wild. And what a location to call home! The Bella Coola valley is a breathtaking setting.

Snow-capped mountains, pine trees as far as the eye can see, lakes, rivers - yes, rivers full of salmon for the grizzlies and shrubs full of berries, a pristine and isolated environment, miles from the closest human.

I was in very good company aboard the helicopter. First of all our expert pilot who during the boreal summers flies helicopters in the Arctic, had plenty of polar bear experience, not bad for a summer job eh?

Drew Milne, a British Columbia Conservation Officer was there to guarantee we were all safe, grizzlies and humans. It was evident that he had a soft spot for Drew the grizzly, named after him after protecting the bear when he was just a newly orphaned cub and making a call to Angelika and Peter who manage the NLWS shelter. You could sense his joy as we all watched his grizzly namesake slowly waking up from his anesthesia, free at last.

Our other companion was Peter Langen. Peter was the keeper of the bears for all these months and as expected it was a bitter-sweet moment for him. He was of visibly happy and excited but also concerned for their safety.

At the end of the operation he urged the helicopter to make on more turn into the valley in which we had dropped off siblings Lori and Dean. This was not just to get a second photo op, it was to see if Lori was up and about, we had left her breathing regularly but showing very little body motion.

Our heart stopped for a few seconds there when we hovered around Lori, still in the same location where we left her. We all started drawing the worst of conclusions when suddenly as the helicopter lowered and kicked up sand and wind beneath us, Lori jumped up looked directly at us as if saying 'leave me alone already'.

Jubilation broke the silence over the helicopter intercom with a single message: 'she's fine - they are all fine' time now for them to be alone.

Well, not completely alone, we are still keeping a close eye on them.

In fact, a satellite up in space helps us pinpoint their exact location and track their movement every 4 hours for the next year and a half! All four grizzlies are fitted with satellite collars so stay tuned and remember to visit IFAW.org for updates on how they are all doing.

-- MB

For more information on the International Fund for Animal Welfare effort to save animals in crisis around the world, visit http://www.ifaw.org

Grizzly Bear Release Update

22 July, 2011

The release of the four bears went without a hitch. Lori and Dean went first and in fact it was quite dramatic to see the bears in nets being lifted by helicopter. The pilot lowered them down without even a bump. Then it was Drew and Jason’s turn and they were released in a slightly different place in Bella Coola.

The satellite collars are working well and the bears’ movements are checked daily. Jason and Drew started out traveling together continue to stick close to each other. Lori and Dean separated immediately and went their separate ways. All the bears seem to doing well and have moved from the valleys to areas around 1200 meters above sea level close to the snowline, although Jason and Drew have begun to come down the other side of the mountain they went over. They are spending time in specific areas before moving on to the next – normal grizzly bear behavior which is what we like to see!

UPDATE: Yesterday (19 July), Dean made a drastic change in his travel pattern and swam the lake and is now near a large mountain at 1400 meters. He traveled pretty rapidly out of his area, so I guess he encountered some trouble. Maybe it was a territory dispute?

Comments: 60

Anonymous

3 years ago

Awesome job IFAW. And could the numpties commenting on the collars please engage their brains a little - as if a dedicated expert team who have spent a year of massive resources raising these cubs would risk an embedded collar or other related injury taking one! Radio collars are tried and tested, obviously don't cause animals distress or injury and provide essential data for this work to continue - so if you want more bears released, this is the way it happens. Duh.

Anonymous

3 years ago

Big courage and good luck for formidable mobilisation , a Frenchman of the France , I is far , but I is of
all heart with you and Ifaw , It must imperative sauvegard the bears , and the environnment so precious for them it' s urgent , All the bears must are saved of dead and the captivity . All the internauts , world mondial mobilisation for the Bears . I haven' t any a lot money , but I essay aid by others solutions .
Good luck , sincerely , CYRIL FRESNEAU . Comme on dit en France : Bonne continuation et bon courage

Anonymous

3 years ago

What a beautiful story, it shows the best side of man, it is such a shame though that this has to happen at all, you have all gone to a lot of trouble to secure the safety of these beautiful bears, wouldn't it be easier to just shoot the poachers? I hope they will be safe in their new environment, but the real problem is poaching, they can't be allowed to keep killing bears and making the babies orphaned, the governments have got to put strict measures into practice, anyone found guilty of killing wild animals should face death! Maybe then they will get the message! Thank you I.F.A.W. the world needs more compassion. Keep up the good work!

Anonymous

3 years ago

I got tears in my eyes seeing the video, so GREAT for those cups! You make the world a better place to live in!

Anonymous

3 years ago

Thank you for sharing with us this beautiful story about releasing these beautiful magnificent creature into the wild where they do belong in first place... Thank you for all your hard work and dedication and God bless you all...These beautiful majestic Animals they need you guys and they appreciate even though they can not speak to say thank you....

Anonymous

3 years ago

That's exactly what went thru my head as well. We saw only the one not the other 3. I do hope that they are all together, for they were raised in captivity together until their release! I do commend IFAW for their diligence in keeping them safe as yearlings.

Anonymous

3 years ago

Thanks for sharing this wonderful story. How are the bears today? Thank you for your fantastic work.

Anonymous

3 years ago

Great job! Well done! I just wish I could donate more and more animals could have a chance like the bears. Thank you.

Anonymous

3 years ago

I had the same concern, Vicki. Because they said they will track them for a year, maybe when a year is up the collars fall off. I would like to know about the safety for the bears and the collars as they grow as well. Hopefully you will get the answer because I'm worried too.

Anonymous

3 years ago

I so love this story. It's nice to see and hear about happy endings or should I say happy beginnings. So happy for the bears. They deserve it. They were so young when they lost their mother. Are they togeather? Were they put in seperate places or togeather? I was just wondering. I just saw them let one at a time on the ground, understandably.